Andhra Congress legislator postpones fast

By IANS

Hyderabad : Senior Congress leader P. Janardhan Reddy Sunday decided to postpone his proposed fast unto death after the intervention of the party’s central leadership. He has been demanding that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.R. Reddy’s kin be charged for attempt to murder.


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Concerned over the spat between the families of the two leaders, the central leadership deputed its emissary K. Suresh to hold talks with Janardhan Reddy.

After the talks, the legislator announced that he was postponing his fast in view of the July 19 presidential election. The Congress advised Janardhan Reddy to postpone the protest as it could cause severe embarrassment to the party ahead of the poll.

Janardhan Reddy had earlier ignored an appeal by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh to rush to Delhi and talk to him before taking any step.

“I have full confidence in the leadership of party president Sonia Gandhi and I hope that justice will be done by July 19,” he told reporters.

Janardhan Reddy however said he would raise his demands in the assembly session, beginning Monday.

Angry over the arrest of his son and son-in-law and an attempt to murder charges slapped on them following a brawl with the chief minister’s brother and nephew last week, he is demanding similar treatment to the Y.S.R Reddy’s kin. He also wants the suspension of a police official who “humiliated” him and a thorough probe into the incident.

The decision of the police to close the case against the chief minister’s relatives had also angered Janardhan Reddy, who Saturday announced that he would approach the court.

Police had had filed a case of rioting Monday against the chief minister’s brother Y.S. Ravindernath Reddy and nephew Y.S. Sumadhar Reddy on a complaint by Janardhan Reddy’s wife.

Police said that after investigations it was found that the charges levelled against the duo in the complaint were not true.

Police had arrested Janardhan Reddy’s son P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and son-in-law Santosh Reddy on July 8 on various charges including attempt to murder after they assaulted the chief minister’s brother and nephew over blowing the car horn. They were released on bail Tuesday.

The incident occurred when Ravindernath Reddy’s son blew the horn of his car on a narrow road in the Jubilee Hills neighbourhood upon seeing a vehicle blocking the way. It happened to be the car of Janardhan Reddy’s son.

Janardhan Reddy, who represents the Khairatabad assembly constituency in Hyderabad, is a bitter critic of the chief minister. He was the leader of the opposition in the state assembly from 1994 to 1999.

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